If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

If you can't handle a six month old lab then you might want to get another breed, perhaps a Yorkie?

Pick Henry up by the nap of the neck and slap the shit out of him! Show him who the alpha male is. If you don't get this under control now the you have much more serious problems coming in the future. Good luck.

Lonnie Spann

DISCLAIMER: The above post is the opinionated and biased view of your's truly, Lonnie Spann, and is in no way intended to reflect the opinions or views of the unfortunate individuals named below who just happen to be doomed with guilt by association.

Member of CAHRC and North AL HRC. I train with AND AM FRIENDS WITH: Fishduck, Laidback, Splash_Em, RF2, Drake2014, Claimsadj, Hooked on Quackers, RookieTrainer and Roseberry.

Some dogs are just "testier" at a younger age, but you still have to deal with it in a manner that lets him know you're the one in charge. I'm sure I'm not the only one that is worried that a 6 mos. old pup bit you hard enough through gloves and on your arms, to bruise you. At this point, it doesn't matter whether you inadvertently created the behavior, or you just have a tough case, it has to be dealt with. And actually, leaving a collar with a short leash or tab on it at all times is a good idea. This way if he gets snarky with you again, you can grab the leash and make him sit or heel or if needed, yank him up off the ground. But boot camp obedience (one command, consequences for disobedience as well as praise for immediate compliance) is a very good way of redirecting and gaining control.

Having now dealt with a couple of dozen or more of these cases in various breeds, I agree with the above and suggested a leash and a CHOKE CHAIN be in place to be used to defend yourself should he decide to test you again. The next time he comes at you expect it to be worse, potentially MUCH WORSE. Striking him, kicking him, grabbing him and all the rest will probably be ineffective and may, in fact, escalate the situation. Someone earlier mentioned meeting aggression with aggression, you better be ready for the fight. That's 100% true. Having a 6 ft lead and choke chain on the dog gives you the ability to get control from a bit of distance and make a meaningful impression without hurting him, or having him hurt you.

No one seems to want to give you details or make an impression on you about how serious this really is. Leave it to me, I guess.

Save yourself the trip to the hospital and the dog a trip to the morgue. Fix it before he bites a kid or something.

Darrin brings up a good point. Do you use a choke chain? Having a lead and a choke chain on your dog really could make the difference in the kind of situation you're describing.

Actually, the more I re-read your original post regarding you getting bitten on hands arms, and legs and getting ugly bruising from it, I'm thinking you may need to contact a trainer in your area and work with this one on one with him/her. It just seems like maybe you weren't reading the dog's body language correctly, and put yourself into a situation that hurt you, and potentially could've hurt you or a child VERY badly. You put on leather gloves on purpose to take a toy away from a dog who was resource guarding, and you did it in a manner that instead of gaining control immediately over the dog, you ended up hurt.

How big is this 6 mos. old dog? Have you been able to physically correct him and handle him up to this point? The more I think about it, the more it seems like a dangerous situation to try to physically correct a dog that you cannot physically stop from hurting you the way he did last time. If you contact a real life trainer, he or she will be able to show you exactly how to read your dog's body language, give you tips on your own methods of handling this dog and your own body language, and help you avoid the situation where you get bit.

I think most of us here who have given you advice are thinking along the lines of having experience physically handling a large dog that was being snarky, and knowing what to do and how to grab, or not grab the dog etc. and not get bitten. But maybe you don't have those tools yet?

I would also advise you not to put yourself in the position you did last Sunday. Take the toys away when he doesn't have them. Do not give him toys until you can train him that they are yours and not his.

Do NOT glove up and go into a fight with him over something he is guarding.

Might be wrong but if my pup ever I repeat ever tries to bite me for ANY reason I have learned to take appropriate action to insure at that very instance that biting the hand that feeds u causes severe pain and that I am the dominate person in this relationship.

Susan - If he growled at me I’d punch him in the nose. I did that last Sunday but that is when he grabbed my hand and bit it. Guess my reflexes aren’t as quick as they should be.

Kyle - Does he do this in a certain area of the house? Does he do it while training?
Henry will guard in any room in the house. He has never shown any viciousness during training.

Terrie - How does the dog react to placing an object in his mouth and requiring him to hold? Did you see any aggression during your hold process? Henry has not objected to anything being put in his mouth. He has shown no aggression at all during the hold.

Metalone67 - I have one last question, How old was this pup when you got him? Henry was 7 weeks old when I got him.

Darrin - No one seems to want to give you details or make an impression on you about how serious this really is. I do realize how serious this is and that is why I have been researching and contacting as many people as I can for help with this issue. I am bound and determined to get it corrected now as I know what the only alternative would be.

ChessieMom - How big is this 6 mos. old dog? Have you been able to physically correct him and handle him up to this point? Henry is about 45 pounds right now. Up until this point, I have had no problem disciplining him.

Henry has been in boot camp since it was first suggested here on RTF. I’m going to do more reading on that but as of right now he will be given a toy with good behavior to have for a half hour or so. Should he decide to growl at me when I tell him “out”, we will have a “meeting of the minds”. I will keep you all posted. Thanks again for your comments.

Susan - If he growled at me I’d punch him in the nose. I did that last Sunday but that is when he grabbed that hand and bit it. Guess my reflexes aren’t as quick as they should be.

Kyle - Does he do this in a certain area of the house? Does he do it while training?
Henry will guard in any room in the house. He has never shown any viciousness during training.

Terrie - How does the dog react to placing an object in his mouth and requiring him to hold? Did you see any aggression during your hold process? Henry has not objected to anything being put in his mouth. He has shown no aggression at all during the hold.

Metalone67 - I have one last question, How old was this pup when you got him? Henry was 7 weeks old when I got him.

Darrin - No one seems to want to give you details or make an impression on you about how serious this really is. I do realize how serious this is and that is why I have been researching and contacting as many people as I can for help with this issue. I am bound and determined to get it corrected now as I know what the only alternative would be.

ChessieMom - How big is this 6 mos. old dog? Have you been able to physically correct him and handle him up to this point? Henry is about 45 pounds right now. Up until this point, I have had no problem disciplining him.

Henry has been in boot camp since it was first suggested here on RTF. I’m going to do more reading on that but as of right now he will be given a toy with good behavior to have for a half hour or so. Should he decide to growl at me when I tell him “out”, we will have a “meeting of the minds”. I will keep you all posted. Thanks again for your comments.

It's not a meeting of the minds, you need to have a COME TO JESUS meeting with him.

The foundation to a great retriever is obedience.
Firestorms Full Throttle Chevy aka Callie-Roo 7/5/2007 - 10/25/2013 I miss you every day
Proud owner of Kona's Surfer Girl, aka Loki.

It's not a meeting of the minds, you need to have a COME TO JESUS meeting with him.

That can be very true but there is definitely a precedent and a very good reason to also practice the counter conditioning processes that were pointed out before. I would rather not have the dog nervous when I go to take something from him, especially when he needs to go get the next mark right away.

I really would be working on both things, counter conditioning using a positive method but be prepared with the proper tools in place in case something goes wrong. That and boot camp ought to solve it for 99% of the dogs I have personally seen (a couple of dozen so far which isn't really a ton, but more than most people).